CAPE TOWN, May 14 (Xinhua) -- South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa began a 24-hour pro-Palestinian hunger strike on Sunday evening as the plight of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails drew more international attention.
Ramaphosa was joined by Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
Ramaphosa ate his last meal ahead of the hunger strike before 6 p.m. on Sunday. He will only be allowed to have salt water, which is what Palestinian prisoners have been surviving on for the last 26 days, before ending the strike at 6 p.m. Monday.
The strike is solidarity with about 1,600 Palestinian prisoners who have been on hunger strike in 200 Israeli jails since April 17 to demand better prison living conditions.
The prisoners are on strike to draw international attention to the plight of Palestinian political prisoners, many of whom are held in solitary confinement.
South African anti-apartheid struggle veterans and several organizations have launched a campaign codenamed DignityStrikeSA to show solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, named after anti-apartheid hero Ahmed Kathrada, lauded Ramaphosa for his actions which "will inspire other South Africans to follow suit".
Ramaphosa was considered to be the most senior politician endorsing the demands of the Palestinian prisoners.
Earlier this month, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) affirmed its position that the Israeli state's pattern of arbitrary arrests and detention without trial of Palestinians "bears the hallmarks of apartheid South Africa".
According to figures provided in February by Israel's Prison Service, at least 6,820 Palestinians, including hundreds of minors, are incarcerated in Israeli prisons.
Most of them are jailed for participating in the struggle against the Israeli control over the West Bank and Gaza.
